Harmonizing Spaces: Integrating Biophilic, Regenerative, and Universal Design to Promote Belonging

“There is a significant difference between ‘all are welcome here,’ and ‘this was created with you in mind.’” – Dr. Crystal Jones

Belonging means something different to all people. Feelings of belonging stem from and define a person’s experience, history, setting, vulnerabilities, and many more factors. The result of not belonging? —alienation, isolation, exclusion, detachment, and withdrawal. So how does design add or detract from belonging; how do you design with an inclusive, non-biased approach?

At the recent Multicultural Design and Inclusive Spaces Summit at the University of Michigan, we asked our session participants to describe a place where they knew they belonged:

“When I walked into my town’s public library for the first time as a child. I knew I was home.”

“On my first day at my current job, I walked into my new office and there was a box of snacks on my desk. Hosting and gathering were signs I belonged.”  

“Greeted by a warm smile.”

“The boys and girls club. It felt like home. They provided so many opportunities for learning and enrichment.”

“Home.”

As you can see, the results vary--however, drawing parallels between answers tells us that belonging is greatly influenced by people and places.  

The history of American architecture is fraught with the societal influences of prejudice and discrimination and influenced by the cultural norms throughout the past two and a half centuries. Take for example, university architecture designed during the Jeffersonian era; we asked the audience, who was this designed for?

Today, best practices set forward by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Framework for Design Excellence center around countering bias by putting a spotlight on inclusivity and designing to celebrate human diversity. Harnessing this framework, we can design spaces that have a life-changing, transformational impact on humans and foster belonging.

Frameworks we use to facilitate a space of belonging are designed to create positive impacts on the environment, people, and communities that they inhabit. Within this design framework we can use tools and methodologies including biophilic design, Universal Design (UD), strategically crafted engagement with communities and stakeholders, and trauma informed design.

Biophilic design connects people to nature and place, ultimately fostering community and belonging. Tapping into the human senses and connecting those to nature can be found in architecture through sound, sight, smell, and touch. Connecting the senses to nature can change a state of stress to a state of relaxation and can accelerate mental health restoration.

Universal Design (UD) is a process that enables and empowers a diverse population by removing physical and social barriers and creating truly inclusive environments. The seven principles of UD [equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low effort, appropriate space] are all-encompassing. Ultimately, environments that employ UD will become more productive, safer, and friendlier.  

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Trauma-informed design and strategically crafted engagement with communities go hand in hand.  Thinking about it through the perspective of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Love and Belonging are nestled neatly in the middle of the pyramid, preceded by the need for safety and followed by esteem. Thus, empathy and trust help people feel safe to share and more confident that those who are listening do so authentically. This method of engagement allows for more diverse perspectives to be gathered, further elevating the creation of places that reflect the people who will love and sustain them. When we ‘design with’ instead of ‘design for,’ places will encompass the fundamentals of belonging where one's physiological, safety, esteem, and desire for self-actualization are met.  

Places and spaces can foster reconciliation and healing, remembrance and storytelling, celebration of culture and history, physical and psychological safety, improved mental health, foster human connection, cultivate empathy and understanding, and honor a pluralistic value system. Designing a space for belonging empowers people and communities to thrive and celebrate their authenticity.

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